27th February - Swimming Carnival Trials

4th March - Shrove Tuesday

5th March - Ash Wednesday Mass, 11.45am (Yrs 2-6) and Ash Wednesday Liturgy, 9.15am (Receptions and Year 1)

12th March - Parents & Friend Meeting 7pm

17th March - Year 6 Camp Departure

18th March - School Tour 9.30am - 10.30am

19th March - Year 6 Camp Return

28th March - Year 5 Surf Education 

31st March - Catholic Schools Swimming Carnival

3rd April - School Tour 9.30am - 10.30am

7th April - Pupil Free Day

11th April - End of Term 12:30pm finish

Dear Parents and Community Members,

Parents and Friends

Parents and Friends met two weeks ago to plan the year and I would like to thank all the mums and dads that were able to join us. Parents and Friends is a great way to meet other parents in the school and simultaneously contribute towards the school. The role of Parents and Friends is to firstly create opportunity for our school community to bond and connect through different events throughout the year and secondly to raise funds to support the school. In recent years, Parents and Friends have raised money for $5,000 to $10,000 towards Science and STEM and $20,000 towards the sandpit and nature play area near the Caritas Building and we are currently using funds to buy new books for the recently renovated library. Lina Sotiropoulos is our current Parents and Friends Chairperson so if you wish to be on the mailing list and receive Parents and Friends updates, please email her on pandf-chair@whitefriars.catholic.edu.au

Reception Enrolment Meetings

Whitefriars Catholic School holds enrolment meetings with families 2 years ahead of time to ensure that we first enrol brothers and sisters of current families then begin a process of enrolling new families to our school community.

2027 Reception Cohort

In Term 2 and 3 last year, we held enrolment meetings for children who will commence Term 3 2026 (Children born 1 May 2021 to 31 October 2021).

We are currently conducting enrolment meetings for children who are commencing Term 1 2027 (Children born 1 November 2021 to 30 April 2022).

 If any current family has a child in this age range who has not yet been enrolled, I strongly encourage you to apply as places for the 2027 Cohort of Reception children will be closing by the end of this term.

2028 Reception Cohort

Enrolment meetings for 2028 Reception Cohort will be held approximately 2 years ahead of time:

If you have a child born (1 May 2022 to 31 October 2022) – Eligible to commence Term 3 2027 you will most likely have enrolment meetings around Term 3 this year.

If you have a child born (1 November 2022 to 30 April 2023) – Commencing Term 1 2028 you will most likely have an enrolment meeting around Term 1 2026.

I ask you to ensure you complete an enrolment application as soon as possible to ensure siblings can be prioritised.

Enrolments at other year levels

It is important to know that we currently have limited places in Year 1, Year 2, Year 5 and Year 6. If you know of any families who have children at these year levels who may be considering our school, please let them know.

Catholic Secondary Schools Pathways

The 2 years ahead of time also applies to Catholic secondary schools. Catholic secondary schools usually conduct enrolment meetings when your child has just commenced Year 5 for a Year 7 start. This means that families need to begin visiting schools of interest whilst your child is in Year 3 and 4 and ensure you apply by the end of Year 4. There are many Catholic Secondary Pathway for our children, and you may wish to look at our website for all the Catholic secondary schools that most of our children transition to in secondary education. It is also important to know that some Catholic Schools in the western suburbs are experiencing high enrolment applications, so it is important for parents to be as proactive as possible and apply in a timely manner to maximise opportunities.

School Concerts/Performing Arts Events

Following a review of our last concert with parents and staff of our last school concert, we are trialling a different approach this year to holding concert events:

The Year 3 to 5 children will participate in a concert on Thursday 3rd of July 2025 (Week 10 Term 2) at the Woodville Town Hall.

Reception to Year 2 children will participate in a concert on Friday 28th of November 2025 (Week 7 Term 4) at the Woodville Town Hall.

The Year 6 children will continue to participate in Wakakirri and this occurs early Term 3 most likely at the Norwood Town Hall.

The underlying thinking behind this approach is to ensure that we:

·         Provide an opportunity for each child to experience 3 school concert experiences in their primary school years.

·         Provide children Year 6 children with a unique experience through Wakakirri.

·         Utilise a concert facility in the local area such as the Woodville Town Hall enabling us to walk to the hall for rehearsal and make it easier for parents and grandparents to attend.

·         Enabling one class at a time to perform on stage so families can more easily see their child perform.

I am looking forward to seeing the children perform on stage, providing them the opportunity to develop their confidence to perform on stage in front of a loving audience.

Thank you for your ongoing support and for your understanding with the current demolition on Ranelagh Street.

Kind Regards

Frank Congedi

Commissioning Mass for Our Whitefriars Staff

Last Saturday Father Charles commissioned our staff to accept the call to a role of service after the example of Jesus who was a servant leader who came to serve, not to be served, to accept the call to work closely with our Parish Catholic School Co Workers, to approach issues with an open, inquiring mind and to develop and use their gifts for the well-being of the community.

The parishioners witnessed the staff accept the call and committed themselves to develop a close working relationship with one another, to carry out their responsibilities to the best of their ability, to work in close co-operation with all those involved in the mission of our school and local church. 

This celebration is truly humbling especially as the staff acknowledged they are doing Jesus’ work. The ongoing faith formation for our staff is grounded in believing, nurturing and developing a strong relationship with God through prayer; willingly calling on God for support and guidance to be Jesus’ light of hope, love and faith for your children. 

Please remember our staff in your prayers asking God to continue to watch over them, guide them and direct all their efforts for the common good.

Spirit of Kindness Mary MacKillop Awards

At Community Prayer this Monday, 24th February some children will be receiving the Spirit of Kindness Award.  Over the last few weeks, we have shared at Community Prayer what kindness looks like in action.  Feel free to look at some of these moments uploaded below.

Student Representative Council

We are delighted to announce our 2025 Student Representative Council. The children were selected by peers to be a strong voice for the young people in our school community in the area of Social Justice Initiatives and Ecological Awareness and how we can all continue to be stewards of creation.

At our Week 4 assembly we recognised this achievement by giving each SRC a special badge. We wish them well with this important leadership role and as they learn about the responsibility in representing the views and concerns of their fellow peers.

Year 6 Leadership Day – Journey to Emmaus

Day One focused on exploring what it means to be a leader through the example of Saint Mary of the Cross Mackillop. The Year 6 students are learning how to harness their personal strengths to become effective leaders. The day was filled with teamwork activities, reflection, sharing, and thoughtful discussions on how to be the best leader and shine their light so that others can see the goodness of God through their actions.

Welcome back to Parent Corner.

Compassion

When our willpower is at its lowest, our children are likely to be most challenging. At this point, us trying to get things right is like trying to start a campfire with wet matches—frustrating, energy-draining, a seemingly impossible. It's easy to fall into a cycle of correction and direction that misses the most important aspect of raising children: connection.

Compassion is the answer.

In this week’s Insights article, ‘Compassion:  The Parenting Superpower Most Mums and Dads Aren’t Using,’ Justin reminds us that as parents we hold a huge role in teaching our children emotional skills that will be carried through their relationships and challenge, they face. Compassionate parenting is a long-term investment in your child's emotion development.

Please click on the attachment below to read the article. 

For more parenting information, visit the Happy Families website: https://happyfamilies.com.au./

Thank you for being a part of our community. We look forward to sharing this new resource with you and supporting each other in our parenting endeavours.

Thank you.

Grace Loizos Wellbeing Leader gloizos@whitefriars.catholic.edu.au

• Week 5 - TERM 1
• Monday - 24th February - Help needed
• Tuesday - 25th February - Help needed
• Wednesday - 26th February - No Help needed
• Thursday - 27th February - Tina Bodjo
• Friday - 28th February - Help Needed

• Week 6 - TERM 1
• Monday - 3rd March - Help needed
• Tuesday - 4th March - Help needed
• Wednesday - 5th March - No help needed
• Thursday - 6th March - Tina Bodjo/Helen Burns-Clarke
• Friday - 7th March - Help needed

We have over 280 registered volunteers who help our school in so many different ways, contributing to our school and supporting children and staff.  Registered volunteers contribute to the school community in just some of the following ways:

• School Board 
• Parents & Friends events
• After School Sports (Coaches and Team Managers)
• Canteen
• Learning Assistance Program (LAP)
• Reading with children
• Assisting at excursions

All volunteers are required to obtain appropriate clearances, including a Department of Human Services (DHS) Clearance and Catholic Clearance.

Once submitted, clearances may take up to 6 weeks to process.

When you receive your clearance or card please bring this into the office for us to update to the Volunteer Register.

If you would like to volunteer, please see staff in the front office for a Volunteer Information Pack and support in registering as a volunteer.

Please see below for current volunteers wanted in our school.

Dear Families,

We are currently conducting Term 3, 2026 student enrolment interviews.

Term 1, 2027 interviews will be scheduled in Term 1, 2025.

All interviews are usually scheduled 2 years before commencement date.

PLEASE ENSURE ALL SIBLINGS ARE ENROLLED FOR ALL FUTURE YEARS.

Thank you 

If you child/children will not be attending school for an extended time (more than 5 days) please complete the below form and email back to us at info@whitefriars.catholic.edu.au in advance.

This form is now also available to be completed in the Audiri app - via the Forms tab and select the Extended Leave Form and submit.

Please note a form must be completed for each child.

Thank you 

We acknowledge and pay our respect to the Kaurna people as the traditional owners of the land of Mikawomma on which Whitefriars Catholic School is located.  We come with open hearts and minds to listen and learn from Elders - past, present and emerging.